Only Canadian passport accepted for entry effective September 30 under electronic travel system.

Dual citizen Canadians must show a Canadian passport to enter the country under tightened entry rules effective September 30.

An estimated 40,000 Canadians live and work in the UAE with many returning home for annual holidays or work-related matters.

In years past, the government said that dual citizens often entered Canada using their foreign passports backed up by a citizenship card or a provincial driver’s licence to confirm they were Canadian citizens. Now, this practice will end for dual citizens flying into Canada.

Without a proper Canadian passport, Canadian citizens will not be allowed to enter the country as part of a new electronic travel authorisation system.

In a new advisory, the Canadian government warned that “Canadian citizens will need to have appropriate documents to travel to Canada before they can board their flight. A valid Canadian passport is the only reliable and universally accepted travel document that provides proof that you are a citizen and have the right to enter Canada without being subjected to immigration screening. Make sure that the expiry date of the passport is well beyond your planned return date”